[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chen Zen:Duely noted. However giving an opponent too much credit can cause undue fear, hesitation, and second guessing on your part and is also not good. You can tell alot about your opponent by their stance, hand placement, the first strike that they throw, the way the move their feet, facial expression, and so much more that these things have to be looked at and given a split second analysis to to assess the skill or possible skill of the opponent.[/QUOTE]

True, that's the other side of the coin.By the way, I thought you were out of Memphis. Where in Fla. are you?

Not rushing in foolishly is particularly important when considering the possibility that the opponent may have an edged weapon (i.e., knife). Most fatal stabbings occur in close quarters, where the stabbee had no idea the stabber had a knife until it was too late...

Incidentally, a bullet-proof vest will protect against knives. When I worked as a paramedic many of my colleagues wore them, more for that reason than to protect against being shot, although I personally found them uncomfortable and opted out.

Not all vests stop knives. But that is the main reason I focus on groin and throat in my offensive knife tech.Once again, preaching to the cub scouts,if you had any real experience you wouldn't be pondering needlessly about this that and the other thing. If you are in a situation you best attack the attacker. Analysing his moves will get you hurt. If you attack him you are forcing him to move the way you want. That is the best method of controling and ending the conflict. Press the attacker and put him on the defense. If you take the time to check out his stance, his jabs...what ever...you are allowing him to attack you. Stupid move. So what if he has a knife. Ok... I will stand 10 feet away..check out his X pattern BS knive move and decide on my plan of attack. How silly is that shit. If you attack someone properly, it dosen't matter if he has a knife. You are taking him out. You all worry too much about the tool. Take out the brain.Oh if I was with Custard, I would bring the mini guns! Ed

Not all vests stop knives. But that is the main reason I focus on groin and throat in my offensive knife tech.Once again, preaching to the cub scouts,if you had any real experience you wouldn't be pondering needlessly about this that and the other thing. If you are in a situation you best attack the attacker. Analysing his moves will get you hurt. If you attack him you are forcing him to move the way you want. That is the best method of controling and ending the conflict. Press the attacker and put him on the defense. If you take the time to check out his stance, his jabs...what ever...you are allowing him to attack you. Stupid move. So what if he has a knife. Ok... I will stand 10 feet away..check out his X pattern BS knive move and decide on my plan of attack. How silly is that shit. If you attack someone properly, it dosen't matter if he has a knife. You are taking him out. You all worry too much about the tool. Take out the brain.Oh if I was with Custard, I would bring the mini guns! Ed

QUOTE: "Most Theives and robbers dont have this type of dedication to their craft. Most men dont unless they are MA or Military or police."

FACT:Bad guys go to Dojos' Dojangs' etc.too. Bad guys Box and train and hone their crafts. Institutions ARE training grounds for these people as has already been noted.

FURTHERMORE Crooks set you up in traps. IE an "unconcious" guy on your Apt stoop who as you approch to help swings around and punches... or cuts you repeatedly.ALSO Preditory crooks look for weakness IE intoxication, illness, looking lost, full hands, diverted attention etc.

TRUE they may not practice with knives daily, also their are varying degrees of "proffesionalism" (SP?) among crooks, but...

MORE TO THE POINT your average bad guy has been in more fights, has beat up and been beat up more than your average MA, Soldier, Cop, Minister or Sailor. The ONE Thing More Powerful than training is REAL EXPERIANCE.

SO I am unconvinced that training with live knives add to training and may be dangerous without bennifet

Well, I look away for a few days and look at all this mess. MAgon, Im now in Pensacola. I travel frequently and may be moving to panama city soon. Ed,Ed, Ed, what are we going to do with you? Dont look just attack? I think someone mentioned knives and weapons so I wont waste time with that, but, there is a saying, I believe its "fools rush in" something like that? It was said for a reason Ed. Being too eager has dire consequences. As for analyzing the opponent this is done in fractions of a second, often before the first attack is thrown from either fighter, and given enough real experience, becomes a quick easy and valuable thing. As for thugs with weapons training, Ive yet to come across this type of thug. Doing such thuggish things as, group beat downs, drive by's, robbings rapes and murders where does one find the time to train as dilligently as a MAist? Only in the pen and if they are training in the pen, and Im not in the pen, then its not a worry to me.